PSYCHOL 7145 - Research Project in Clinical Psychology II

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2019

This is an empirically-based research project on a topic of relevance to clinical psychology to be pursued under the guidance of one or more supervisors (at least one of whom shall be a member of the School of Psychology). The project should be structured so that the students participate in all of the steps involved in the research, including the formulation of the research question(s), the design of the study including the selection of appropriate methodology, the collection and analysis of data, the interpretation of the findings, and the preparation of the report.

This is an empirically-based research project on a topic of relevance to clinical psychology to be pursued under the guidance of one or more supervisors (at least one of whom shall be a member of the School of Psychology). The project should be structured so that the students participate in all of the steps involved in the research, including the formulation of the research question(s), the design of the study including the selection of appropriate methodology, the collection and analysis of data, the interpretation of the findings, and the preparation of the report.

Course Timetable

Course Learning Outcomes

At the successful completion of this course students will be able to:1. To review and analyse critically research in a specific area of clinical psychology.2. Acquire knowledge and competency in the design and completion of research studies in clinical psychology3. Acquire and apply skills in critical analysis.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute

Course Learning Outcome(s)

Deep discipline knowledge

informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies

acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1

accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)

1,2,3

Critical thinking and problem solving

steeped in research methods and rigor

based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development

demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment

1,3

Teamwork and communication skills

developed from, with, and via the SGDE

honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies

Recommended Resources

The Library is a major resource centre for students. The Research Librarian for Psychology, Maureen Bell, provides some useful information through the Internet at http://libguides.adelaide.edu.au/psychology. The website contains a list of databases, links to tutorials and help with searching methods.

Learning & Teaching Modes

The Supervisor and trainee meet regularly in formal scheduled supervision meetings. The amount of supervision required will depend on the development needs of the trainee and the stage of progression of the literature review and research project.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

These tasks should constitute approximately 6 months of full-time student work (or the equivalent).

Learning Activities Summary

As this subject involves research no formal lectures are mandated. The Learning Activities depend upon the nature of the research project and developmental needs of the trainee. The Learning Activities reflect the Learning Outcomes.

Specific Course Requirements

On the initial enrolment into the Master of Psychology (Clinical), all students (unless already a Registered Psychologist) MUST apply for and obtain provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. All students are required to provide a copy of their registration details to the Program Administrator on their first day in the Program: this will be required for the Summer School courses Interviewing & Intervention and Evidence-Based Practice. The application form and details of fees payable are available from the PBA website: http://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/Forms.aspx.

Candidates are required to consent to a police check as part of their application to the Psychology Board of Australia for Provisional Registration, a requirement of enrolment in the program. A satisfactory current police check is a mandatory requirement for acceptance to and continuation within the program.

Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.

Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.

Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task

Assessment Type

Weighting

Learning outcome(s) being addressed

Literature Review (4000-5000 words)

Summative

30%

All

Research Project Report (5000-8000 words)

Summative

70%

All

Assessment Detail

The assessment tasks outlined below are used to assess the Learning Outcomes:

1) A critical review of the literature in an area of Clinical Psychology relevant to the Research Project (4000-5000 words) 2) A Research Report in an area of relevance to Clinical Psychology (5000-8000 words)The Research Report should be of a standard that is publishable in a peer-reviewed journal.

These two assessment tasks are examined by two independent examiners with suitable knowledge and expertise concerning the general topic of the research project.

Submission

In the case of an unsatisfactory performance in this subject the student will be given an opportunity to do further work to revise and complete the literature review and/or the research project to a satisfactory standard.

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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